The Stomach-Down Iron Neck Bulwark: Prone Head Defender

Pressure Cascade · Mechanism

Okay, I know what you're thinking: "Neck exercise? Really?" Yes, really. Your neck is the thing that holds your head up, and unless you're planning to walk around supporting your skull with your hands like a very tired waiter holding a tray, you should probably train it. The Lying Face-Down Plate Neck Resistance is an intermediate exercise that builds the muscles on the back of your neck — the ones that keep your head from bobbing forward like one of those dashboard toys.

You lie face-down on a bench with your head hanging off the edge, and you place a weight plate on the back of your head. Then you extend your neck upward against the resistance of the plate, lifting your head like you're trying to see what's happening on the other side of a very tall fence. Lower with control, repeat, and feel the muscles at the base of your skull light up like a small but very determined fire.

Neck training is one of the most overlooked aspects of fitness, which is ironic because a weak neck is one of the most common sources of headaches, stiffness, and that awful feeling when you turn too fast and your neck makes a sound that belongs in a horror movie. This exercise builds the cervical extensors, the muscles that keep your head upright and stable throughout the day. It's especially important for athletes in contact sports, but also for anyone who spends hours looking down at a phone — which, again, is all of us. Defend your head, build your neck, and never again wake up with a crick that ruins your entire week.